TY - JOUR
T1 - Cisplatin, bleomycin and methotrexate in the treatment of advanced oesophageal cancer
AU - de Besi, Pietro
AU - Salvagno, Luigi
AU - Endrizzi, Luigi
AU - Sileni, Vanna Chiarion
AU - Fosser, Vinicio
AU - Cartei, Giuseppe
AU - Paccagnella, Adriano
AU - Pardo, Eduardo Leon
AU - Tremolada, Carlo
AU - Peracchia, Alberto
AU - Fiorentino, Mario V.
PY - 1984
Y1 - 1984
N2 - From February 1981 to September 1982, 34 patients with metastatic or locally advanced (inoperable) epidermoid carcinoma of the oesophagus were treated with a combination of cisplatin, bleomycin and methotrexate. Thirty-one patients are now evaluable for response: 16 of 31 (52%) experienced some improvement, but only eight (26%) obtained major responses (one complete and seven partial). Responses were obtained rapidly within the first two courses. The median duration of responses was 5 months. The median survival from start of therapy was 8 months for responsive and 5 months for non-responsive patients. Gastrointestinal toxicity (cisplatin-related) and mild myelosuppression were the most prominent side-effects. This combination chemotherapy proved to be only of small efficacy in the long-term control of advanced oesophageal cancer. However, because the responses were obtained rapidly, it is conceivable that a similar regimen (with increased dosage of cisplatin) applied before surgery to patients with limited disease could obtain a reduction of the bulky tumour, with a possible increase of the resectability rate and destruction of micrometastases.
AB - From February 1981 to September 1982, 34 patients with metastatic or locally advanced (inoperable) epidermoid carcinoma of the oesophagus were treated with a combination of cisplatin, bleomycin and methotrexate. Thirty-one patients are now evaluable for response: 16 of 31 (52%) experienced some improvement, but only eight (26%) obtained major responses (one complete and seven partial). Responses were obtained rapidly within the first two courses. The median duration of responses was 5 months. The median survival from start of therapy was 8 months for responsive and 5 months for non-responsive patients. Gastrointestinal toxicity (cisplatin-related) and mild myelosuppression were the most prominent side-effects. This combination chemotherapy proved to be only of small efficacy in the long-term control of advanced oesophageal cancer. However, because the responses were obtained rapidly, it is conceivable that a similar regimen (with increased dosage of cisplatin) applied before surgery to patients with limited disease could obtain a reduction of the bulky tumour, with a possible increase of the resectability rate and destruction of micrometastases.
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U2 - 10.1016/0277-5379(84)90210-4
DO - 10.1016/0277-5379(84)90210-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 6204876
AN - SCOPUS:0021262563
VL - 20
SP - 743
EP - 747
JO - European Journal of Cancer
JF - European Journal of Cancer
SN - 0959-8049
IS - 6
ER -